Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1887-03-04
CAPITAL CORRESPONDENCE.
The House Refuses to Pass the De-
pendent Pension Bill.
miscellaneous News aud Congressional
summary.

Miscellaneous News aud Congressional
summary.
WAsHISGToN. March /, 1857.
IL is reported that the name of Judge
Cooley of Michigan has been considered
by the President for some time as fitting
one TO head the list of the inter state com
merce commission. He Is regarded as
eminently fitted for the position,
having had much experience in
this particular line of work. Conjecture
Is rife as TO the make up of the commits
sion, but after all, its only conjecture, as
the oracle hath not yet spoken
The conference report on the Detroit
postoflice bill has been adopted by the
house, and the long aud interesting fight
on this matter l. ended. The bill Is now
before the President for his signature and
il is expected there will be- no delay in this
respect This Appropriation is the largest
initial appropriation that congress has
ever voted tor any public building.
There is no one subject Of more interest
10 the labor element than that of convict
labor, and we append synopsis OF the
port of Carroll ID. Wright, commissioner
of labor, on this subject, He says that
the prison population of d4tG has pro-
portion OF one in "A thousand 10 the pOpu-
lation of the United States. Whatever
competition, considering the country AT
large, which comes from convict labor i'm
any form. must come from this one con
Wet in one thousand of the population
not the proportion TO those engaged in
mechanical pursuits in the whole country
which is about one convict TO every fifty
persons so employed. The United States
prisoners included in the above estimate
number l2iO and they are distributed
through the different states. The industry
employing the greatest number is that of
boots and shoes the manufacture of cloth
ing standing next, then stone dressing,
then farming. gardening furniture, min
ing. lumber and carpcting in the order
named The total product of all penal in
situations Is fifty-fOur one hundredths of
one per cent. of the total products of the
industries of the country. The report states
that il is perfectly evident from informa-
tion obtained that the competition arising
from the employment of cOnvicts as far as
the whole country Il concerned, would not
OF itself constitute a question worthy of Sc
riOus discussion. However locally and in
certain districts. saws the report, the com
petition may Toe serious and of such porpOr-
tions rs 20 claim the most serious atten-
tion Of legislatures. The commissioner
concludes that the system of hand labor,
if introduced in the prisons, would reduce
competition with free labor To the mini
mum.
The secretary of the interior has affirmed
decision OF the general land office of May
H. lNol. holding for cancellation list Of
- and rs. north range west in the Reed
City. Mich, district claimed 10y the Jack
son, Lansing 4 saginaw railroad Company
under the acts OF congres, approved June
3, 1886, July 3, $50, and March 3, lN5I.
President Cleveland has sent to the SEN
ate the name Of James VI TrOtter TO be
Recorder Of Deeds in the District of Column
bia in place of James {. Matthews. twice
rejected. TrOtter l. colored citizen of
Massachusetts. about 4 years Of age. He
j. "A native of Ohio. but for the past b
years he has resided III the old Bay state
where prior 10 the war, he was IA teacher
He served throughout the war. entering as a
private but at its close wearing the
epaulette of lieutenant.
The senate has passed the house labor
arbitration bill, which was introduced
last session 10y Representative O'Neil of
Missouri The measure now awaits the
presidents signature.
The bill 10 prevent the employment Of
convict and alien labor upon public works
and of convict labor in the preparation of
materials for public works has passed
both houses and now awaits the presi-
dents signature.
President Cleveland has signed the bill.
making appropriations for public build
ings at Brooklyn and Troy. y y, and also
the bill granting right of way through
the government farm at Minneapolis
Gen. Sheridan sent To the house OF repre-
sentatives the other day an invitation TO
attend the unyeing OF the monument TO
Gen Garfield in Washington on May Il
next.
The house. by a vote of l75 20 l2j, has re
fused TO pass the dependent pension bill
over the presidents veto. The debate ON
the report of the pension committee rec
ommending the passage of the bill over
the executives veto. was the chief event
IN the house the past week. The event
had been looked for, and the number of
petitions from the c. \. X. from Maine 10
California had awakened more than usual
interest
Officers who served in the volunteer
armies of the United States during the
late war. who are entitled 20 remuster and
readjustment of pay accounts under the
Cutcheon act, which was approved 10y the
President "A few days ago. have only "a
very short time III which TO file their
claims. nder "A decision of the depart
ment the act will be lnoperati We on all
claim, fled after June /. The law refer
red TO gives the al iutant general the pow
er to muster officers from the date Of their
assumption Of the duties of the grade TO
which they were promoted. instead Of
mastering them from the date on
which their commissions were actually de
nNeTed. III l. estimated that least ten and
possibly twenty officers to every regiment
which entered the war are effected by this
act. Applications for remuster should be
forwarded to the adjutant general at once
applications for pay allowances to the
the second auditor OF the treasury.
Gen. Cutcheon has received communi-
cation from tien.Jo Inn Robertson, Adj iutanti
General of Michigan, IN reference TO the
formers bill revising the statutes so a, TO
allow pay 10 officers during the war from
the day of taking command actually in
stead OF from the date when commissions
we're issued. and Gen. Cutchcon has replied
by suggesting that the Adiutant General
call the attention OF the volunteers 20 the
fact that applications must be flied before
June 3. they viii be barred after that
date under law.
The senate has passed the bin an inquiry
into the management of affairs of the
Pacific railroad The hill as passed pro-
Nides for the appointment of the three
commissioners with conversation Of
500 n month, travelling expenses and
board bills, with power TO examine all
books, papers and methods of the railroad
companies. IL appropriates $4,000 for
the puruB~p of the invest igatiOu aud il